Bangkok has a street food life that doesn’t sleep. While there are several dense pockets of street food, you can find vendors pretty much everywhere and at all hours selling savory foods, sweet foods, drinks such as coconut water and Thai tea and fruits such as durian, bananas and mangoes. There are also many shophouses and trendy restaurants serving up Thai food. Opinions are to be had about whether street food or shophouses are better, but either way you won’t go hungry.
Scroll all the way down to see these food spots on a map.
Some Tips
Organized dirty dishes
- As when eating street food anywhere, look for a busy place with high turnover and try to avoid ordering pre-made food that has been sitting out (which there is actually a lot of in Bangkok) but instead opt for woks, grills and hot broths where your food is made to order.
- Most street food signs are in Thai, so take a look at the cooking station, other customers’ tables or food pictures, if they’re part of the menu, to get an idea of what’s being served.
- Thai people like their food sweet, so don’t be surprised to see locals add a spoonful of sugar to their savory soup! Sugar is almost always on the table as a condiment next to the fish sauce and chili.
- Many Thai street food vendors that don’t require them don’t have seats; you will often see people taking their food to go (indicate “takeaway” if you prefer this) in plastic bags. Luckily there are foods, such as mango sticky rice, skewers and coconut water, that can be eaten while standing.
Night street food scene, Bangkok
Here are some of the foods we ate during our few days in Bangkok. We have also indicated where we ate them if a place stood out to us.
SAVORY DISHES
- Chee Cheong Fun / Rice Noodle Roll
- Dumplings
- Gai Tod / Fried Chicken / ไก่ทอด
- Gai Yang / Grilled Chicken / ไก่ย่าง
- Goong Ob Woon Sen / Glass Noodles with Shrimp / กุ้งอบวุ้นเส้น
- Hor Mok / Thai Curry Fish Custard / ห่อหมก
- Joke / Rice Porridge / โจ๊ก
- Kaeng Kari / Yellow Curry with Beef
- Khao Moo Daeng / Thai Red Pork with Rice / ข้าวหมูแดง
- Kow Neuw / Sticky Rice / ข้าวเหนียว
- Kuay Jap Nam Sai / Clear Broth Pork Soup / ก๋วยจั๊บน้ำใส
- Kuay Teow Gai / Chicken Soup / ก๋วยเตี๋ยวไก่
- Kuay Teow Look Chin Moo / Pork Ball Noodle Soup / ก๋วยเตี๋ยวลูกชิ้นหมู
- Kuay Teow Reua / Boat Noodles / ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเรือ
- Moo Ping / Pork Skewers / หมูปิ้ง
- Pad See Ew / Thai Fried Noodles / ผัดซีอิ๊ว
- Pad Thai / Thai Fried Noodles / ผัดไทย
- Pla Pao / Grilled Fish / ปลาเผา
- Som Tam / Papaya Salad / ส้มตำ
- Thai Mackerel with Coconut Milk and Lotus Stem / แกงกะทิสายบัวปลาทูแม่กลอง
- Tom Yum Talay / Spicy Seafood Soup / ต้มยำทะเล
- Wonton Noodle Soup
- Xiang Gu Ji Tang / Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Soup
FRUITS
SWEETS
- Coconut Ice Cream / ไอศครีมมะพร้าว
- Crepe
- Kanom Krok / Coconut Pancakes / ขนมครก
- Khao Neow Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice / ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง
DRINKS
Savory Dishes
Chee Cheong Fun / Rice Noodle Roll
Chee cheong fun, not skimping on the sauce, in Chinatown, Bangkok
A Chinese dish, it’s no surprise we ate this in Bangkok’s Chinatown. We ordered ours with pork and greens. One order came with 2 rolls, each one cut into 3 pieces, drowning in a sweetened soy sauce and topped with fried shallots. We added chili to ours from the condiment options on the table, which, of course, included sugar.
Chinatown is a street food haven; every night the streets are packed with vendors and customers. It’s really a scene and worth going to at least once to see and, of course, eat.
Yaowarat (Chinatown), Bangkok, Thailand (street food vendors open at night)
Dumplings
Pork and shrimp dumplings - quick and delicious
Again, with a heavy Chinese influence in Thailand, dishes such as dumplings are common. Meghan had shrimp and pork dumplings, served with sweet dipping sauce and crunchy garlic, for breakfast one morning as a quick and easy option. We paid 30 baht ($0.85) for a pre-packed container of 5.
In Ari in the same alley as ซอย พหลโยธิน พหลโยธิน Khwaeng Samsen Nai, Khet Phaya Thai, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Gai Tod / Fried Chicken / ไก่ทอด
Fried chicken may not seem like a typical Thai dish, but there it is, frying away on many a street corner. It’s a quick and easy snack, and obviously delicious (because, fried). Meghan had a fried leg for 15 baht ($0.42); the price will vary depending on which piece of meat you order.
Gai Yang / Grilled Chicken / ไก่ย่าง
Gai yang - chicken slow-roasting over charcoal
We ordered one chicken leg on a whim and went back for seconds. Fresh off the charcoal grill, after spending a long time cooking at a low temperature, the dark meat was so juicy and the skin so crispy. The preparation of this dish comes from northern Thailand but is now a popular street food snack all over the country. The marinade is usually a mix of cilantro root, turmeric, garlic and fish sauce, so, unlike most northern Thai dishes, this was not spicy. It came with a sweet chili dipping sauce.
Corner of Soi 2 and Phahon Yothin 7 Alley in Ari. Exact address: 59/1 ซอย พหลโยธิน Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Goong Ob Woon Sen / Glass Noodles with Shrimp / กุ้งอบวุ้นเส้น
Nice presentation of goong ob woon sen at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
A vendor at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
Preparing goong ob woon sen at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
We love when we order a dish at a market or street food vendor and get to watch them make it from scratch. When we ordered goong ob woon sen from a friendly stand in Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, they plucked 3 large uncooked frozen river prawn from a bucket of ice and threw them in a hot pan on the stove. Next go the mung bean noodles with the seasonings and sauce, which includes ginger, garlic, black pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Traditionally this dish is served and eaten in the pot it’s cooked in, but given this was at a busy market, it was served on a paper plate. The presentation from this vendor was lovely, but our only problem was figuring out how to eat the shrimp, which still had head, tail and vein in, without making a mess. We shared one order at 100 baht ($2.83).
Enjoying goong ob woon sen, a dish of glass noodles with shrimp
If you visit Khlong Lay Mayom Floating Market, make sure to go hungry. The floating market part is quite small now, but the rest is a massive covered market full of food vendors.
Each portion of goong ob woon sen is usually prepared in individual pots
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is at Soi Bang Ramat, Bang Phrom, Khet Taling Chan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10170, Thailand and is only open on weekends
Hor Mok / Thai Curry Fish Custard / ห่อหมก
Fish blended with coconut milk and spices and then steamed to make hor mok
White fish is blended with coconut milk, red curry, fish sauce and herbs and then steamed in a banana leaf over a flame. When Prem ordered this at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, for 35 baht ($1), it was already steamed and the banana leaf was folded shut. At another market, it was fascinating to watch the pre-made banana leaf “boats” sitting on the grill and the pureed fish mixture being poured into each one before being left to cook. The runny mixture did not seem like it would hold up in the banana leaf boats, but, it always did!
One of the few floating vendors at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is at Soi Bang Ramat, Bang Phrom, Khet Taling Chan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10170, Thailand and is only open on weekends
Joke (or Chok) / Rice Porridge / โจ๊ก
A comforting bowl of joke
Congee is one of Prem’s favorite foods from Hong Kong and he is always thrilled to find a similar version in other countries. This rice soup cooked in pork broth is common to eat for breakfast in Bangkok, sometimes topped with a raw egg that gets lightly cooked in the hot bowl. Prem ate pork ball joke, topped with an egg, green onions and lemongrass, several Bangkok mornings. It’s a great dish to have when your stomach needs a break from spicy Thai food.
Joke vendors on Soi 1 in Ari neighborhood
Prem alternated between two places during his joke rotations. One was an old-school restaurant on Soi 1 run by a group of women. He would eat his congee with a raw egg cracked into it. He found the pork balls here to be very flavorful, but the congee consistency varied depending on when you got there.
Preparing joke
Joke with salted egg
Joke with soft-boiled egg
The other place Prem savored his joke at was at Hong Ko Congee, down an alley off Soi 1 that seemed perpetually busy. The pork balls here weren’t as flavorful, but he liked the consistency of the joke and also the option of a salted egg or soft-boiled egg.
In Ari on Soi 1 at 5/4 อาคาร สนั่นนภา ซอย อารีย์ 1 ซอย พหลโยธิน Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Hong Ko Congee is at Soi Ari 1, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok, Thailand
Kaeng Kari / Yellow Curry with Beef
Yellow curry with beef at The Local
At The Local, a popular restaurant in Bangkok serving family recipes from all over the country, we had a yellow curry with beef. Yellow, along with red and green, are the major Thai curries. This dish was served with betel leaves and a drizzle of coconut milk on top. It was spicy, but mellowed out by the coconut milk, and full of flavor. The Local is pricier than most other places we ate at, but worth it for the array of Thai dishes you may not find elsewhere in Bangkok.
The Local by Oam Thong Thai Cuisine is at 32-32/1 สุขุมวิท23 คลองเตยเหนือ กทม Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Khao Moo Daeng / Thai Red Pork with Rice / ข้าวหมูแดง
A simple plate of Thai red pork with rice for lunch
Barbecued pork with rice is simple and inexpensive, making it a popular breakfast or lunch dish. We kept passing a restaurant near our apartment that was carving pork out front and we finally decide to try them for lunch one day. We shared one order that started with a pile of white rice and was topped with red barbecued pork, pork belly, Chinese sausage, sliced green vegetable and half a soft-boiled egg with a jellied yolk. What makes this dish unique is the sweet sticky sauce poured over the rice and meat. Most customers around us had their plates drenched in it, but we asked for just a little bit. We can see why this is a go-to dish for many Thais.
Thanee (ธานี) is in Ari at 1161-1163 พหลโยธิน Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Kow Neuw / Sticky Rice / ข้าวเหนียว
Sticky rice by itself is worth a mention. Although more of a staple in the northern Thai diet, it’s also commonly found in Bangkok, and can be ordered as a compliment to so many dishes, such as gai tod, moo ping, som tam, curries, gai yang and pla pao. This special type of rice is steamed and often served on the street tightly packed in a plastic bag, and if you’re in a restaurant, that bag will be inside a bamboo basket.
Kuay Jap Nam Sai / Clear Broth Pork Soup / ก๋วยจั๊บน้ำใส
Delicious bowl of kuay jap nam sai, clear broth pork soup, in Bangkok's Chinatown
The only reason we were fortunate enough to try this delicious soup is because we were overwhelmed by the food choices in Chinatown on a busy Sunday night so went with the vendor that had the longest line. It turns out we were waiting for a table at one of the most well-known kuay jap (sometimes spelled jab) street vendors. The staff were moving a mile a minute, chopping pork, scooping noodles and broth into bowls and to-go bags alike, maneuvering through the tables filled with locals to plop down bowls of soup and to collect money, and playing hostess to the never-ending line of waiting customers.
The crowd at Kuay Jab Nay Lek on a Sunday night in Bangkok's Chinatown
Kuay jap is a pork soup and nam sai refers to the clear broth (as opposed to nam khon, which means cloudy). The pork broth looks light and potentially bland but is actually nice and peppery, without being spicy. The full version of the soup (kuay jap tuk yang / ก๋วยจั๊บทุกอย่าง) contains rice noodle rolls (a different but nice texture, for a change), fried pieces of pork belly, all parts of the pig (tongue, liver, stomach, heart) and is garnished with green onions and cilantro. Recognizing that we were tourists, the woman in charge asked if we wanted organs and we replied no. Our version of the soup (kuay jap mai ow krueang nai / ก๋วยจั๊บไม่เอาเครื่องใน) may not be what the locals were eating, but it was damn delicious, what with the crispy pieces of pork, rolled rice noodles and the perfectly peppery broth. This was easily one of our favorite soups so far.
Impressive assembly line at the busy Kuay Jab Nay Lek on a busy Sunday night in Bangkok's Chinatown
Kuay Jab Nay Lek is at the corner of Yaowarat Road and Soi 11 in Yaowarat (Chinatown), Bangkok, Thailand (street food vendors open at night)
Kuay Teow Gai / Chicken Soup / ก๋วยเตี๋ยวไก่
Street vendor cleaning up a from a busy lunch hour
On our way to a coffee shop in the Silom neighborhood one day we passed a few street food vendors, including one serving a chicken soup that caught our eye. After coffee we backtracked to order one of the last bowls, of what turned out to be kway teow gai, from this lunchtime street vendor.
Kuay teow gai, chicken soup, for lunch at a street vendor in Bangkok
The dark chicken broth came with with glass noodles, shredded chicken, chicken feet and hard boiled egg. Prem ordered congealed blood in his, which he loves. The soup, at 40 baht a bowl (just over $1), was served with herbs and bean sprouts on the side. Meghan enjoyed the broth and noodles but probably wouldn’t order it again (maybe it was the chicken feet?), while Prem said it was his favorite Thai soup so far.
Kuay teow gai, chicken soup, for lunch at a street vendor in Bangkok
Along the windows of a 7-11 at 26 อาคาร Niagara ซอย สาทร 10 สาทรเหนือ Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Kuay Teow Look Chin Moo / Pork Ball Noodle Soup / ก๋วยเตี๋ยวลูกชิ้นหมู
Pork ball noodle soup for breakfast in Bangkok
We saw pork, beef or fish balls everywhere in Bangkok, whether roasting away on skewers or swimming in noodle soup. For breakfast one morning Prem had kuay teow look chin moo, which roughly translates to a clear pork broth with rice noodles and pork balls, for 35 baht ($1). This bowl had wide rice noodles, green vegetables and mild flavored pork balls. Often the pork balls are accompanied by slices of pork.
Kuay Teow Reua / Boat Noodles / ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเรือ
A tasty bowl of kuay teow reau for lunch on a hot day
On our way to visit Wat Arun we explored the area on the Thonburi west bank of Chao Phraya River per fellow travel blogger Travel Fish’s recommendation. We got to see a quieter side of Bangkok as we wandered down small streets passing little storefronts and restaurants.
Wat Arun
We looked for the boat noodle spot Travel Fish mentioned, and whether it was the exact one or not, we found the dish we were looking for at a large open air restaurant full of locals during a busy lunch hour.
Choose your noodles for your bowl of kuay teow reau
The friendly cops at the table next to us helped us out with ordering, which involves choosing your noodles, protein (pork or beef) and broth. We both chose thick rice noodles (sen yai), pork (moo) and "thicken" broth (other options were clear, hot and sour or dry). The broth was dark, spicy and full of flavor. It turns out that boat noodles get some of their color and flavor from pig or cow blood, which we didn’t know at the time, but this is still one of Meghan’s favorite Thai soups so far. The portions were not huge, saving us room to eat more later, and came in at 35 baht each ($1). Water bottles here were 10 baht.
Happy boat noodle vendors in Bangkok
We ate boat noodles at 657 Thanon Arun Amarin, Wat Arun, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Moo Ping / Pork Skewers / หมูปิ้ง
Pork skewers and sticky rice make a great snack
Meat on a stick is ubiquitous on the streets of Thailand. On almost every street you’ll see pork (moo) or chicken (gai) skewers grilling away, with raw skewers at the ready. Order 1 or 2 along with a bag of sticky rice and you’ve got yourself a nice snack to hold you over until the next meal. We usually found skewers for 10 - 20 baht ($0.28 - $0.57) each, not including rice. These often tended to be sticky sweet (and sometimes artificially so) so we limited consumption for emergency hunger pangs.
Meat and fish on skewers is a common snack in Bangkok
Pad See Ew / Thai Fried Noodles / ผัดซีอิ๊ว
Lunch time in Bangkok
A popular Thai noodle dish in the States, pad see ew actually takes its influence from China. Chewy wide rice noodles are sautéed with dark soy sauce, egg and Chinese broccoli. The wide rice noodles offer a unique texture. We learned how to make this during a cooking class in Koh Lanta on an earlier trip to Thailand, so it was nice to eat a tasty plate of it in Bangkok.
Corner of Soi 2 and Phahon Yothin 7 Alley in Ari. Exact address: 59/1 ซอย พหลโยธิน Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Pad see ew, gai yang, and pad Thai make a complete meal
Pad Thai / Thai Fried Noodles / ผัดไทย
Bangkok's Chinatown is full of street food vendors come sundown
Without a doubt, pad Thai is one of the most well-known Thai dishes in the States and can be easily found in Bangkok. The most memorable plate of pad Thai we had on this trip hit all the right notes - a little sweet, a little salty, rice noodles cooked just right. Sautéed with fish sauce, garlic, dried shrimp and egg and topped with ground peanuts and bean sprouts, it was a comforting lunch on a rainy day.
Corner of Soi 2 and Phahon Yothin 7 Alley in Ari. Exact address: 59/1 ซอย พหลโยธิน Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Pla Pao / Grilled Fish / ปลาเผา
Prepared pla pao
Wandering around our Bangkok neighborhood of Ari on the first night, we spotted plastic tables and stools on the sidewalk from a block away. This site evokes fond memories of our time in Vietnam since we spent so much of that trip squatting on low plastic stools eating phở, bún chả and other delicious Vietnamese foods. A grill lined with fish was smoking away and many other guests had a whole fish on the table in front of them. We sat down, pointing to the plate of fish our neighbors were eating as we pantomimed to the server.
Pla pao for dinner with sticky rice, som tam, rice noodles and plenty of herbs
A whole fish, usually either catfish, snakehead fish or tilapia, is stuffed with pandananus leaves and lemongrass, coated in rock salt and flour and grilled. Ours came served with rice noodles, garlic chili sauce, herbs and greens, which we used to roll up the fish and condiments.
Pla pao is a popular street food in Bangkok, and is very popular at markets, especially Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, where we saw many families sharing the dish at picnic tables during lunch time.
On the street on Phaholyothin 7 near the corner of Phahon Yothin 7 Alley (under the Ari BTS escalator), Bangkok 10400, Thaialnd
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is at Soi Bang Ramat, Bang Phrom, Khet Taling Chan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10170, Thailand and is only open on weekends
Som Tam / Green Papaya Salad / ส้มตำ
A spicy plate of som tam pla ra at Lay Lao, in Ari, for dinner
Papaya salad is a staple in Thai eating and can easily be found at street vendors and restaurants alike. It’s appealing to us, and many, because it’s fresh and light and provides a good balance of sweet, sour, spicy and salty. It can be deceivingly spicy since it looks like a refreshing salad; if you prefer less heat, tell the kitchen when ordering.
A classic som tam includes shredded papaya, green beans, cabbage, tomatoes, garlic, chilies, sugar, lime, fish sauce, toasted peanuts and dried shrimp. There are many variations, including one with crab and a much stronger fermented fish sauce (som tam pla ra) that we had one night at Lay Lao. Meghan prefers the classic but Prem enjoyed the heightened flavors in this version.
Lay Lao is at 10400, 2/1 Phahon Yothin 7 Alley, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Thai Mackerel with Coconut Milk and Lotus Stem / แกงกะทิสายบัวปลาทูแม่กลอง
Thai mackerel, a traditional Thai dish, at The Local
A traditional dish from Samut Songkram Province using easily accessible ingredients in Thailand, we had a wonderful version of this curry at The Local. This coconut milk curry is seasoned with white peppercorn, fermented shrimp paste, shallots and madans, which are a sour fruit.
The Local by Oam Thong Thai Cuisine is at 32-32/1 สุขุมวิท23 คลองเตยเหนือ กทม Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tom Yum Talay / Spicy Seafood Soup / ต้มยำทะเล
A slightly overpriced, but satisfying, bowl of tom yum talay at Siam Paragon Food Court
Tom yum is another Thai dish that’s popular in the States. The broth itself is spicy and sweet, with mushrooms, lemongrass, onions, tomatoes, galangal, chilies, kaffir lime leaves and fish sauce and can be either clear (nam sai / ต้มยำน้ำใส) or creamy (nam kon / ต้มยำน้ำข้น), thanks to (often coconut) milk.
This is another item we made in our Koh Lanta cooking class earlier this year and we really enjoyed it. Prem had a very good bowl of tom yum talay, which is with mixed seafood, in Bangkok. Since we ate this at Siam Paragon food court it was quite pricey, at 150 baht ($4.25) a bowl! Despite the slightly overpriced vendors, this food court offers a great selection of Thai food with plenty of communal seating, clean bathrooms and a reprieve from the heat.
Siam Paragon Food Court is in Siam Paragon Mall at 991/1 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Wonton Noodle Soup
We stopped for hot bowls of noodle soup at a covered street food vendor on a rainy night; wonton noodle soup
With a heavy Chinese influence in Thailand it’s not uncommon to find soups such as wonton noodle soup. Egg noodles, wontons and pork came together in a very good, although a little sweet, broth at one of the last remaining vendors on Soi 38, once a happening street food night market; most have been forced to move due to construction.
Sukhumvit 38 Alley, Phra Khanong, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Xiang Gu Ji Tang / Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Soup
This Chinese influenced chicken and mushroom soup made for a comforting dinner on a rainy night
A comforting, herbal Chinese chicken soup with chunky shiitakes, enjoyed on Soi 38 along with the wonton noodle soup. Like the wonton soup, this was a little sweet as well, but still very good.
One of the last remaining vendors on Soi 38, once a happening street food night market; most have been forced to move due to construction
Durian / ทุเรียน
Prem can't get enough of the controversial durian fruit
Durian; you either love it or you hate it. Enough people find the smell so offensive that it’s banned from many hotels and public spaces. But other people think it smells perfectly good and sweet. Some people find the texture too custardy to stomach, while others can’t get enough. The yellow flesh, which encompasses a seed, is plucked out of a thorny shell, wrapped and sold all along the streets of Bangkok by its weight. It’s also used in desserts such as durian sticky rice or durian ice cream.
Prem is in the “can’t get enough” camp. You do have to be careful and not eat too much because, like mangoes, durian is a “warming” fruit and will increase your body temperature; not a good thing in the Bangkok heat.
Jackfruit / ขนุน
Jackfruit is unique to south and southeast Asia and has a deep history in India, which may be why it’s one of Prem’s favorite fruits and Meghan hadn’t heard of it until a few years ago. Walking down the street in Bangkok you will see the sweet and fibrous yellow flesh, which has been removed from its huge pod, packed and ready to be sold by its weight.
Sweets
Coconut Ice Cream / ไอศครีมมะพร้าว
Refreshing coconut ice cream on a hot day, at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
Coconut ice cream seems to be very popular in Bangkok, often sold from a cart being pushed down the street. Jellies and peanuts are available as toppings. Meghan had coconut ice cream, served in half a coconut shell, from a vendor at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market who topped it off with sticky rice, pumpkin and sun-dried tomato. The ice cream was very good and, surprisingly, so were the toppings. We also got a scoop another day at Siam Paragon food court for a hefty 69 baht ($1.95); on the street it will be about half that much.
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is at Soi Bang Ramat, Bang Phrom, Khet Taling Chan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10170, Thailand and is only open on weekends
Siam Paragon Food Court is in Siam Paragon Mall at 991/1 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Crepe
Preparing the thin crepe, much as Italian chefs prepare pizza dough
The traditional Thai crepe is made with bananas, sugar and condensed milk and folded into a square and is soft with just a touch of crispiness; however, you will also find French crepes, folded into a cone with a much crispier exterior, along the streets. This is what Meghan accidentally ordered one night for 30 baht. While still delicious, it left her on the hunt for the traditional version, which she found in Ari, the neighborhood we stayed in. Made from scratch and served on a paper plate, you can also buy a pre-made one rolled up in paper, presumably if you’re in a rush. Both the French crepe and traditional Thai come with many other filling options.
Thai crepe with banana and condensed milk
Kanom Krok / Coconut Pancakes / ขนมครก
Kanom krok are considered a sweet, but are made with some savory ingredients
At first sight these sweet and savory coconut milk pancakes remind us of bánh khọt, a snack we ate in Vietnam. These little Thai pods, which we ate at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, are made with coconut milk, tapioca flour, rice and sugar and are cooked in a pan over charcoal resulting in a crispy outside and creamy inside. The filling is often savory; we tried one leek and one taro for 10 baht ($0.28) each.
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is at Soi Bang Ramat, Bang Phrom, Khet Taling Chan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10170, Thailand and is only open on weekends
Khao Neow Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice / ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง
This sweet snack combines two of our favorite foods and Meghan especially can’t get enough (might be her rice addiction speaking). Sticky rice, which is a staple in northern Thai, is mixed with coconut cream, sugar and salt and then topped with freshly sliced mango. Some people add more of the coconut cream mixture as well as toasted mung beans on top.
If you order this dessert from a street vendor, as opposed to in a restaurant, it will most likely already be prepared and packed up in a plastic container with a little bag each of extra coconut cream and toasted mung beans, for you to add yourself. The best tasting mango sticky rice is when the mango is freshly peeled and sliced just for you! At a street vendor near our Airbnb apartment in Ari we bought a small portion for 40 baht ($1.13) and a large for 60 ($1.70).
Mango sticky "sushi" rolls, an inventive take on mango sticky rice, at Siam Paragon Food Court
At Siam Paragon mall we tried mango sticky “sushi” rolls, which are probably a novelty and not an idea that will catch on, but they were just as delicious as the normal preparation.
In Ari on corner of Phahon Yothin 7 Alley and Soi Ari 1, Bangkok
Siam Paragon Food Court is in Siam Paragon Mall at 991/1 Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Drinks
Coconut Water / น้ำมะพร้าว
Fresh coconut water is always refreshing on a hot day, pictured here at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
Since so many people seem to get food to go here, we often saw coconut water, with flesh optional, served in plastic cups and bags, rather than right out of the coconut, which we’ve seen in other southeast Asian countries. The price ranged between 30 - 40 baht ($0.85 - $1.13). The rate for drinking from the coconut ranged from 30 - 50 baht ($0.85 - $1.42). We love drinking fresh coconut water on a hot day; it’s full of nutrients and so refreshing. If we’re hungry we ask the vendor to chop the coconut in half after we finish the water and give us a spoon so we can scoop out the flesh.
Something we saw in Bangkok that we hadn’t seen before was shelled coconut. A special tool is used to scoop out the intact flesh, which looked pretty cool when out of its shell.
Thai Iced Tea / ชาเย็น
A street in Ari, the neighborhood we stayed in while in Bangkok
While Prem was busy drinking coffee (look out for a post on coffee in Bangkok!), Meghan often drank a Thai iced tea from any number of stalls slinging tea on the street. When language wasn’t too much of an issue, she ordered it without sugar because, holy moly, the Thais put a lot of sugar in their tea (and everything else they consume). With condensed milk and evaporated milk, the drink is sweet enough as it is.
See all of these places, as well as coffee and cocktails, on our Bangkok map
